‭MATHEMATICAL TOOLS FOR PHYSICS‬

‭ASSIGNMENT-4‬

‭Submitted by‬

‭ROHITH RAMESH (2240425)‬

‭Department of Physics and Electronics‬

‭CHRIST (DEEMED‬‭TO BE UNIVERSITY)‬
‭BANGALORE-560029‬
‭INDIA‬

‭15 MARCH 2025‬

 1. Prove that sin(mx)and sin(nx) are orthogo-
nal functions

[*Hint:Prove the integral over one cycle is zero when

m ̸= n]

To prove that sin(mx) and sin(nx) are orthogonal func-

tions, we need to show that their inner product over a
complete cycle is zero when m ̸= n. This is done by
evaluating the integral:
Z 2π
I= sin(mx) sin(nx) dx
0

Step 1: Use the Product-to-Sum Identity We use the

trigonometric identity:
1
sin A sin B = [cos(A − B) − cos(A + B)]
2
Substituting A = mx and B = nx, we get:

1
sin(mx) sin(nx) = [cos((m − n)x) − cos((m + n)x)]
2
Thus, the integral becomes:
Z 2π
1
I= [cos((m − n)x) − cos((m + n)x)] dx
0 2
Step 2: Evaluate the Integrals We split the integral:
Z 2π Z 2π
1 1
I= cos((m − n)x) dx − cos((m + n)x) dx
2 0 2 0

1
 For any integer k ̸= 0, we know:
Z 2π
cos(kx) dx = 0
0
since cos(kx) completes full oscillations over the inter-
val [0, 2π].
Since m ̸= n, both k = m − n and k = m + n are
nonzero, so each integral evaluates to zero:
1
I = (0 − 0) = 0
2
Since the integral evaluates to zero when m ̸= n, we con-
clude that sin(mx) and sin(nx) are orthogonal functions
over the interval [0, 2π].

2. Using first principles show that the |x| is not

differentiable at x = 0

To show that the function f (x) = |x| is not differentiable at x = 0

using first principles, we compute the derivative using the definition:
f (a + h) − f (a)
f ′ (a) = lim
h→0 h
Substituting f (x) = |x| at x = 0:
|h| − |0| |h|
f ′ (0) = lim = lim
h→0 h h→0 h

We analyze the left-hand derivative and the right-hand derivative

separately.
Left-Hand Derivative For h < 0, we have |h| = −h, so:
−h
f−′ (0) = lim− = lim− −1 = −1
h→0 h h→0

Right-Hand Derivative For h > 0, we have |h| = h, so:

2
 h
f+′ (0) = lim+ = lim+ 1 = 1
h→0 h h→0

Since the left-hand derivative (−1) and the right-hand derivative

(1) are not equal, the limit does not exist. Hence, f (x) = |x| is not
differentiable at x = 0.
3. For a vector function F that can be expressed
as a gradient of a scalar function ϕ prove that
∇×F=0

Let F be a vector field that can be expressed as the

gradient of a scalar function ϕ:
F = ∇ϕ.
By definition, the curl of a vector field is given by:
∇ × F = ∇ × (∇ϕ).
We need to show that this expression is identically
zero.
In component form, the curl of a gradient can be writ-
ten as:
∂ 2ϕ
(∇ × F)i = ϵijk ,
∂xj ∂xk
where ϵijk is the Levi-Civita symbol.
Since mixed second partial derivatives of a scalar func-
tion are equal (assuming ϕ is sufficiently smooth), we
have:
∂ 2ϕ ∂ 2ϕ
= .
∂xj ∂xk ∂xk ∂xj
However, the Levi-Civita symbol ϵijk is antisymmetric
with respect to index swapping:
ϵijk = −ϵikj .

3
 Thus, each term in the sum cancels out, giving:
∇ × ∇ϕ = 0.
Since the curl of the gradient of any scalar function is
always zero, we conclude that:
∇ × F = 0.
4. Find the value of
S = log2 2 + log2 22 + log2 23 + · · · + log2 2n
express it in terms of n
We need to evaluate the sum:

S = log2 2 + log2 22 + log2 23 + · · · + log2 2n

Step 1: Simplify log2 2 Since log2 2 = 1, we can rewrite
the terms:

S = 1 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 3 + · · · + 1 + n.
Step 2: Separate the Summations Rewriting the sum,
we get:
n
X n
X
S= 1+ k.
k=1 k=2
The first sum is simply:
n
X
1 = n.
k=1
The second sum is the sum of integers from 2 to n,
which can be rewritten as:

4
 n
X n
X
k= k − 1.
k=2 k=1
Using the formula for the sum of the first n natural
numbers:
n
X n(n + 1)
k= ,
2
k=1
we get:
n
X n(n + 1)
k= − 1.
2
k=2
Step 3: Compute S Now, summing both parts:
 
n(n + 1)
S =n+ −1 .
2
Simplifying:

2n + n(n + 1)
S= − 1.
2
n2 + 3n
S= − 1.
2
n2 + 3n − 2
S= .
2
Conclusion Thus, the given sum can be expressed as:

n2 + 3n − 2
S= .
2
5. A radioactive nuclei undergoing decay re-
duces to 1/4th of the initial number after 1000

5
seconds. What is the half life of the nuclei?

Given Data A radioactive substance reduces to 14 of its

initial quantity in 1000 seconds. We need to determine
its half-life T1/2 .
Decay Law The radioactive decay formula is given by:

N = N0 e−λt
where: - N is the remaining quantity after time t, -
N0 is the initial quantity, - λ is the decay constant, - t is
the time elapsed.
We also know that the decay constant is related to the
half-life by:

ln 2
λ=
T1/2
Step 1: Set Up the Equation Given that N = 14 N0 at
t = 1000 seconds, we substitute into the decay equation:
1
N0 = N0 e−1000λ
4
Canceling N0 from both sides:
1
= e−1000λ
4
Step 2: Solve for λ Taking the natural logarithm on
both sides:
1
ln = −1000λ
4
Using ln 14 = − ln 4 and ln 4 = 2 ln 2, we get:

6
 −2 ln 2 = −1000λ

2 ln 2
λ=
1000
ln 2
Step 3: Solve for Half-Life Using λ = T1/2 :

ln 2 2 ln 2
=
T1/2 1000
Solving for T1/2 :

1000 ln 2
T1/2 =
2 ln 2
1000
T1/2 = = 500 seconds.
2
Thus, the half-life of the radioactive nuclei is 500 sec-
onds
The Energy of a 1D system is found to be
1 1 2
E = kx2 + p
2 2m
The Energy of the system is conserved. Using
this equation prove that the force is proportional
to the position and is directed towards the mean
position.

Given Energy Equation The total energy of a one-

dimensional system is given by:
1 1 2
E = kx2 + p
2 2m

7
 where: - k is a constant (spring constant), - x is the
displacement from the mean position, - p is the momen-
tum, - m is the mass of the particle.
Since energy is conserved, its time derivative must be
zero:

dE
= 0.
dt
Step 1: Compute dEdt Using the chain rule:
 
dE d 1 2 1 2
= kx + p .
dt dt 2 2m
Taking derivatives:

dE dx 1 dp
= kx + p .
dt dt m dt
Since p = mv, we use v = dx
dt :

dE dp
= kxv + v .
dt dt
Factoring v:
 
dE dp
= v kx + .
dt dt
For energy to be conserved for all values of velocity v,
the term in parentheses must be zero:

dp
+ kx = 0.
dt
Step 2: Interpret the Result Since force is given by
Newton’s second law:

8
 dp
F = ,
dt
we substitute:

F = −kx.
Conclusion This result shows that the force is: - Pro-
portional to the displacement x, - Directed towards the
mean position (as indicated by the negative sign).
This confirms that the system follows Hooke’s law,
describing simple harmonic motion.